CRAFT Symposium 2026
Join us June 18 and June 19 at the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, University of Toronto St. George Campus.
Abstract Submission and Registration Keynote Speakers Workshops Exhibitors
CRAFT is an innovation hub dedicated to advancing R&D and lending translation expertise in microfluidics-enabled technologies.
As co-chairs of the CRAFT, we are excited to once again bring together academic researchers, industry leaders, clinicians, and government representatives to foster networking and dynamic discussions on the latest advancements in microfluidic technologies.
Registration Information
Registration Is Open!
Early Bird Registration closes May 15, 2026.
Registration closes June 2026.
Early Bird Registration
$75 Student
$100 Academic/Government
$200 Industry
Registration included in Exhibitor Package
Abstract Submission
Please submit an abstract by Friday April 10 to be considered for a poster or oral presentation
Workshops
Registration for workshops on June 19 is included in the Symposium Registration Fee. Please select which you are attending at registration.
Academic Keynote Speakers
Abe Lee
University of California, Irvine, USA
Abraham (Abe) P. Lee is Chancellor’s Professor of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and MAE at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). He served as department chair for BME from 2010-2019. He is currently Director of the NSF I/UCRC “Center for Advanced Design & Manufacturing of Integrated Microfluidics” (CADMIM). Dr. Lee served as Editor-in-Chief for the Lab on a Chip journal from 2017-2020. Prior to UCI, he was Senior Technology Advisor at National Cancer Institute (NCI), Program Manager in the Microsystems Technology Office at DARPA (1999-2001), and a group leader with Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL). Dr. Lee’s current research focuses on integrated microfluidic systems for precision medicine including liquid biopsy, microphysiological systems, cell engineering, and immunotherapy. His research has contributed to the founding of several start-up companies. He is inventor of over 60 issued US patents and is author of over 130 journals articles. Professor Lee was awarded the 2009 Pioneers of Miniaturization Prize and is fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering, and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
Bruno Sarmento
Universidad de Porto, Portugal
Bruno Sarmento leads the leads the Nanomedicines & Translational Drug Delivery group in i3S: Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto. Dr. Sarmento’s interests are focused on the development of drug delivery systems, with special attention on nanotechnology, and their interdisciplinary application to the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. He is interested in engineering targeted nanomedicines by identifying novel biological targets, proposing new functional ligands and producing tailored nanoplatforms for the delivery of therapeutic molecules for managing diabetes, cancer, infection and metabolic diseases. He pioneered nanofabrication approaches using different macro and microfluidics methodologies that allow for the encapsulation of small molecules and biopharmaceuticals for distinct purposes and their functionalization with active ligand moieties to target biological receptors.
His research contributes with fundamental insights on nanocarriers used for drug delivery applications in order to understand their mechanism of transport at the tissue and cellular levels and on the advantages of nanosystems used for prevention, diagnostics and therapy. In particular, Dr. Sarmento is committed to unravel the real value of “nano” for mucosal drug delivery; develop mucodiffusive, molecular bioengineered nanoparticles for the oral delivery of antidiabetic peptides; establish advanced multistage functionalized nanoparticles for diagnostic and treatment of colorectal cancer and glioblastoma; and develop nanotechnology-based platforms for prevent and treat infection diseases. His lab is also specialized in tissue bioengineering 3D multicompartmental models to validate functionalized nanomedicines and to perform in vitro/in vivo correlation.
Workshops
Organ-on-a-Chip Workshop
In collaboration with the Humane World for Animals
Participate in panel discussions on New Approach Methodologies, including organ-on-chip technologies, to reduce the use of animal models in research.
Workshop: Meet the Editors of Science and Nature
Join us for an interactive workshop to learn how to effectively communicate your research, criteria that journal editors are considering at the manuscript submission stage, and an overview of the editorial process.
Please submit your questions at the registration stage!
Our Sponsors
Sign up as an exhibitor or sponsor!
Inquire by email at partnerwithcraft@utoronto.ca for sponsorship information and prospectus
2026 CRAFT Symposium Organizing Committee
Hagar Labouta, PhD
Axel Guenther, PhD
Jennifer Doucet, PhD
Alaa Alsaafin, PhD
Dan Voicu, PhD
Zhamak Abdi Dezfooli, MSc
Victor Sit, BSc
Flavia De Lima Alves, PhD
Sarah McColman, PhD
Interested in working with CRAFT?
Have questions about our facilities, research programs, or partnership opportunities? Please send us a message, and a member of the CRAFT team will follow up.
